Treasure hunts are a well-know form of entertainment enjoyed by persons of all ages. In a typical treasure hunt game a person or persons follow(s) a series of clues that lead them to the treasure. The clues are predetermined by a gamemaster who places the clues along a preset path such that the clues, when deciphered, lead the treasure seeker along the path to the treasure. The prior art reflects numerous variations on this general concept.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,200 discloses a card-like structure with detachable elements. The elements contain placement instructions for the gamemaster and messages or clues for the treasure seeker that facilitate the gamemaster guiding the treasure seeker to the treasure.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,924,695 and 5,511,792 disclose board games based on a pirate's treasure hunt theme.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,075 discloses an interactive, multi-media game system wherein players obtain directions to various locations by viewing a narrative on an audio visual system and solving puzzles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,942,969 discloses a treasure hunt game wherein clues that lead the players to a treasure are transmitted to the players via pagers. Under the 969 patent, a player's general location may be verified by determining which pager-base station is receiving the player's pager signal and subsequent clues given only when the player is in the correct general location. There are, however, many drawbacks to using pager technology to determine location, including inaccuracy and the requirement that the game be played on a scale of sufficient size such that players travel to differing base station coverage areas.
Global Positioning Satellite ("GPS") technology provides a very accurate method of determining location. GPS systems utilize 24 GPS satellites in 6 orbits about the earth. A GPS receiver on the earth receives navigational data necessary for precise position determination from 3 or 4 of the GPS satellites. GPS navigational data can be transmitted from the GPS receiver through a wireless communication device such as a cellular telephone. U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,100 discloses an automobile navigation system that utilizes GPS. In the '100 patent, vehicle location, determined by GPS, and travel time, determined by a timer, are transmitted from the vehicle to a central database via a wireless communications device such as a cellular telephone. The central database utilizes this information to compile travel times and determine optimum travel routes.
The present invention applies the navigational accuracy of GPS with the communications superiority of wireless technology to a game of treasure hunt in order to create a challenging, enjoyable and rewarding experience for game participants.
All documents, including other patents and references, referred to in this document are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety, although no documents are admitted to render any of the claims herein unpatentable either alone or in combination with any other references known by the applicant.